And So It Goes
by LaNorita
Summary: Response to a challenge, a future fic: Ashley wants to take things with Spencer to the next level.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So yeah, this is a response to Tutorgirl's challenge from the Spashley-board and so I'm following her rules. Which means this will be a short fic with about 5 chapter and maybe an epilogue and it'll be fluffy. So do no expect any heavy stuff happening in this story. Just some lighthearted chapters on the cuteness that is Spashley. Hope you'll enjoy the read.**

* * *

"Easy does it."

"I swear Ash, if you even dare to drop me off at some deserted place and leave me behind I'll kill you."

"Tsk, tsk. _So_ sensitive. Besides that was only once and I, technically, never left you behind."

I admit that blindfolding her and dropping her off at a creepy cemetery wasn't exactly a prince charming move. But in my defense, it was Halloween, I was drunk, bored out of my mind and she had pulled off her own prank earlier that day. And I didn't _really_ leave her behind. I just hid behind the largest tree and snickered silently as she kept screaming for me. I totally stopped when she started crying and silently praying to God to help her kick Freddy's ass if needed though. I'm not _that_ cruel. Today wasn't Halloween and I wasn't bored either, nor were we at a cemetery. I might be a little tipsy though, but believe me if you were in my place and doing what I was about to do you'd be more than a little tipsy.

"Ouch! God dammit, what was that?!" she screeches as she starts rubbing her shin.

"I told you to watch out. You knows these headstones stick everywhere out."

"Ashley I swear-"

"Relax, I'm kidding." I chuckle as I wrap my arms around her waist from behind." We're not even outside anymore."

"Where are we than? You know, the blindfold-trick is getting old."

"You didn't seem to mind the blindfold-trick yesterday in bed." I whisper huskily into her ear.

She laughs softly as I lead her through the room, arms still around her waist, in between the many tables until we're both up front. I glance at the room one last time and a small smile creeps onto my face. I haven't exactly changed anything in the room or even planned something. I just wanted it to be exactly the way we left it. It was more than enough really.

"Can I take the blindfold off now, please?" she asks me sweetly.

"No."

"Ash-"

"I'll take it off for you."

I slowly undo the nod, careful not to rush anything. That, and if my hands move any faster the tremble in them will only increase. I put my hands over her eyes on the now loosened piece of cloth and kiss her tenderly on the tip of her shoulder.

"You ready?"

"Yeah." Her response is as soft as mine and I think we both understand the importance of what's to come. Even though she has no idea what that might be. I finally pull off the blindfold and let her take in the scene in front of her. The silence envelopes us and I eagerly wait until she finally lets me know what she thinks of it.

"I can't believe you brought me here."

"Well, I was thinking of a million other places first but I ended up here so …" I answer her shyly. Suddenly wondering if this was really the right place to come. I mean it does seem kind of ridiculous for me to come here now.

"You were always the first to drag me outta here and now you practically kidnap me right back in. Kinda ironic, don't you think?" she chuckles as she keeps her eyes in front of her and gently starts rubbing the arms encircling her waist.

"Hey, I never forced you into going anywhere. I'm just charmingly persuasive like that."

"You mean manipulative?"

"Same thing." I grin.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asks genuinely confused. I smile to myself as I realize that she can't immediately put two and two together. I know I'd be confused too if she had brought me here blindfolded without any indication. But it just makes it sweeter and all the more surprising.

"Well, I was going to drag you into the gym first but I discovered that Aiden has that place booked for his next 5 years worth of dating."

She starts giggling into my arms and I soon follow her, not being able the resist her contagious laugh. The snickers die after awhile and she simply leans back into me and sighs contently. I can't help but place a second kiss onto her exposed shoulder before nuzzling her freshly washed hair. It's in times like these where all the doubt leaves my mind and I let myself enjoy the easiness and comfort that comes so naturally when we're alone together. It's in times like these, when she's in my arms without a care in the world that I just know that we were meant to be. That no matter what happened and is going to happen we'll somehow always find each other.

"Do you remember the first thing you ever said to me?"

"Are you on meds?"

"No," I laugh, "Before that."

"Oh Gosh, I don't know … I remember you wanting to kill me with your laser-eyes, though."

"Spencer, you should know by now that those are my _'I want you_'-eyes." I tell her admonishingly.

"Oh yeah, of co- Oh my God, I remember!" She suddenly gasps excitedly. She turns into my arms and faces me, looking at me with a shocked expression as she finally lets it all dawn on her. It's cute and obnoxiously endearing and makes me want to hear her response all the more.

"I can't believe you still remember that."

"You poured my very pricey and much needed Starbucks coffee all over my designer shoes. How could I possibly forget?" I say while running my arms up and down her sides.

"Plus, it's pretty easy to remember a totally out-of-place innocent and sweet girl asking you where-"

"Science lab 3 is." She cuts me off with a bright smile. And with that same smile she's handing me, I know that I brought her to just the right place.

"I know that I never really showed you, but I'm showing you now. Better late then never, right?"

"Right." She whispers as she kisses me sweetly on the tip of my nose. I turn her around again and gently lift her up on the teacher's desk, before sitting myself next to her. I take her hand into mine and let her continue eyeing the lab. I know that a whole film of memories is playing in her mind right now. I know that the same happened to me.

"Do you remember when you practically blew up this thing?" she giggles lightly and turns to look straight into my eyes.

"Shut up. It was a tiny explosion, I barely scratched the table."

"The whole school needed to be evacuated." She replies dead-on.

"Whatever, everyone got the day off didn't they? Besides, it was all your fault anyway."

"Excuse me, I recall being the one who saved half of your marks just by being your partner."

"And I recall you were wearing my barely-there-skirt the day of the explosion."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You bended over to pick up something, just when I was working with the Bunsen burner "

"Oh."

"Oh, indeed."

"Sorry."

"Ugh, forgiven. I can't believe how I put up with you sometimes."

She scoots a little closer and lays her head on my shoulder, hand still firmly placed in mine. "Me neither." I guess to any outsider this would seem so strange. Having two girls spending a night-out in the science lab of their former school without anyone of them being nerds or any kind of scientists. But call it reminiscing, call it melancholy or whatever you want it but to us this was what we needed. To us this was our throwback to more innocent days. When blowing up a lab meant a day at the beach with your girlfriend and a suspension made you look even cooler and more badass then you already were. When you thought that you didn't need a heart, a brain or any other vital organ to live but just that special person you couldn't stop thinking about.

"How did you get in here anyway?"

"I have my connections."

"Lemme guess: Breaking and Entering?"

"My bestest friends."

"I hope you're not planning on putting the blame on me again."

"_Hey_, I offered to give myself in, but _somebody_ was being their perfect selfless self again."

"Yeah well I really, really didn't want to lose you." She beams at me.

"You know, I think that had to be the moment when I truly realized just how much I loved you. I mean, there was always something there and all these little significant moments kept piling up but when you just covered for me without even hesitating and making it seem as if it was the most normal thing to do, I just knew you know."

"Knew what exactly."

"Just how in love I was with you."

After so many years and after all we've been through, she still blushes and lowers her head after these little moments we have. Taking me back to the days when I'd secretly whisper sweet nothings in her ear when we were having lunch at the quad or when Paula was saying grace over at diner. Spencer never really changed. She's still that sweet and innocent sixteen year-old girl from Ohio. Only know she's stronger, a little less naïve, a lot more confident and even more beautiful.

"I can't believe it's been six years already."

"Time flies by when you're having fun."

"It sure does." She tells me as she lifts up her head and looks into my eyes. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For this. For caring enough to bring me here and make me remember. For remembering in the first place. For being so sweet to me. For making me feel as if I'm the most important person in the world."

"You are." I croak out hoarsely.

"For being you, when around me."

"Well, I've come a long way."

"We both have." She quickly retorts. Knowing exactly where I'm heading with that statement.

"Spencer, I know I wasn't always the perfect girlfriend or best friend for that matter. I know I screwed up more than once and that you sometimes weren't treated the way you deserved to be treated."

"Ash, how many times do I have to tell you that what happened in the past stays in the past. I forgave you and you don't need to keep saying you're sorry." She assures me genuinely. I can't help but keep excusing myself for the mistakes I've made in the past. It just pains me to know that I let it come to the point where I hurt her and made her cry even though I had promised myself I never would. I don't care that it's been a long time ago, it's still fresh in my memory and I'm sure that the same goes for her. But that's Spencer for you, always willing to forgive and be the bigger person. Without ever rubbing it in again or using it as an excuse for her possible misbehavior. A behavior that does not exist in her little world.

"And that's exactly why I'm going to do what I'm about to do." I whisper as I kiss her temple before jumping off the desk and placing myself in between her legs.

"I don't understand-"

"You forgive me before I even tell you I'm sorry. You cover for me without even hesitating. You comfort me without even knowing what's wrong. You're always there Spence, no matter what. Some people say that their love is unconditional but you actually show it to me. You prove it to me. I wanna do the same thing for you." I explain as I thread my hands with hers and give them a little squeeze.

"You already do." She assures me.

"And I want to keep doing it forever." I continue as I lean in closer and press my forehead to hers.

"I can't promise you I'll always be this thoughtful or never forget an anniversary. I can't promise you that I will never mess up or that I'll never run away from a talk we need to have. I can promise you though that I'll always come back and that I'll try to make it up in every single way. I can promise you that no matter what happens, I'll never let you go again and that I'll search for you before you even get the chance to get lost. I can promise you that I'll never stop falling in love with you and that I'll never stop waking you up with a kiss on your chest. I can promise you that I'll never stop getting lost in your eyes and that blue will forever be my favorite color." I whisper these confessions with my eyes firmly settled onto hers, letting her know just how serious I really am. "And I can promise you that if you answer my next question with yes that I'll be there with and for you wherever you want me and whenever you need me."

I let go of her left hand as I reach for the velvety box in my back pocket.

"Ashley, what are-"

Instead of answering her, I fish for the little box behind my back and proceed to open it. Well, fumble would be the more appropriate term since one of my hands is still in hers. Which is well on the way to be crushed by the way she's squeezing it.

"Spencer Marie Carlin-"

"Oh my God." She gasps as she sees the blue sapphire, white gold wedding band. I wasn't messing around when I said that blue is and forever will be my favorite color.

"Will-" I try to continue, only to be interrupted by Spencer again.

"Oh my God, oh my God. This is actually happening!"

The shock won't leave her features and my hand continues being squished to mush by hers. I guess I can say that I successfully surprised her.

"Will you-"

"I swear Ashley, if this is one of your cruel jokes you won't be getting any for a month." She threatens suddenly, afraid that I'm pulling a prank on her again. It's endearingly sweet that she's freaking out over a possible hoax and threatens to hit me where it hurts the most. She knows me to well.

"Spencer!"

"What?"

"Will you shut up and let me finish?" I laugh, seemingly unable to finish the one sentence I've been trying to get out ever since I bought that ring well over 3 weeks ago.

"Ok." She says as she cutely inhales and exhales in effort the calm herself down. God, I can't believe I almost chickened out on doing this. Thank God, Kyla bitchslapped me into reality. It was about time that she did something right.

I look into her eyes and can't help but grin at her unsuccessful bottled excitement. This image right here along, is already worth more than any effort I put into this. And I want to be able to see that image for many more years to come.

"Will you let me be the person that really does love you_ and_ gets you _and_ will forever love your brownies unconditionally?"

"Oh my God."

"Spencer, I promised you a lot of things but I didn't promise you to endure endless 'Oh my God's." I half-joke. In reality her non-answer was killing me and my heart-rate was increasing with the second. I really needed to hear her answer out loud. I didn't want to take any risk of misinterpreting the situation.

"Yes!"

"Yes?" I ask her unsure, letting it slowly dawn on me.

"Yes, Ashley! I want to share my brownies with you forever and ever!" she squeals happily as she jumps onto me, wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I'm quick to support her body and hold the jewelry box tightly into my hand. Before I can let her know just how excited I am, her lips are already on mine kissing me with a perfect mixture of gentleness and passion. Letting each other know how we exactly feel through that one kiss, just like we did so many other times. We part breathlessly and press our foreheads together, enjoying the moment to the fullest.

"Spence?"

"Yeah?" she whispers before kissing the corner of my mouth.

"I'd totally do the whole happily twirling in the air kind of thing, but I'm not that strong and you're not that light."

"Way to ruin the moment, moron." She laughs as she slaps me on my arm.

"Ah, the very sexy moron you just agreed to marry." I say cheekily.

"I did? I only remember to agreeing on sharing my brownies with you. Besides, I don't see a ring on my hand to prove that crazy assumption you just made." She says as she dramatically examines her hand.

"Well, I guess we should do something about that then."

I gently put her back down on the desk in front of me and retrieve the ring out of its box. I chance a glance at her and see that she somewhat calmed down but the teeth that are sinking into her lower lip tell me that she's still as excited as before. I take her left hand and slowly slide the ring on her finger, never daring to take my eyes of hers. She shyly ducks her head once again and examines the ring that's taking our commitment to a whole new level.

"It's beautiful." She whispers.

I bring her hand up to my mouth and kiss it with utter care.

"Than it's a match made in heaven."

"You are so corny, Ashley Davies."

"Uh-uh, that's Ashley Davies Carlin for you Miss Carlin."

"You mean, Misses Spencer Carlin Davies."

"Of course."

The goofy smiles cannot be swiped off our faces at this moment and I honestly don't care. Besides, I really don't think she minds them either. I'm pretty sure we're both entitled to some goofiness after tonight.

"So, wanna ditch this lame class and head to the beach for a late-night swim?"

"Hmm, you know I'd love too but I don't have my swimming suit with me." She pouts.

"Even better." I grin as I pull her off the desk and lead her away from here and towards a new destination.

Our new destination.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ashley, don't be such a baby and get your ass down here."

"I'm not being a baby." I pout from behind the bushes.

"I don't understand what your deal is, we do this every Sunday." She huffs as she pulls me by the hand towards the door. I'm stalling and make a big deal of pounding my feet on the ground making me look _this _close like a petulant child.

"Uh, we come to have dinner and do some innocent, forced smiling and laughing. I do not come and shout out that I'll be ripping their only daughter away from their hands." I hiss through the silence of the evening. The last thing I need is for Spencer's parents to come outside and become a spectator to this little argument.

"You are so dramatic." She says as she rolls her eyes at me.

"Easy for you to say. You're still the innocent party in all of this that was corrupted by the evil lesbian freak."

"Ashley it's been six years. My mom has come around. Seriously." She stresses out the last word in attempt to lessen my fears.

Truth is, Paula did somewhat come around. She accepted her daughter's orientation a very long time ago and any choices she made relationship-wise. That didn't change the fact that things were still very much uncomfortable at times between me and her. I mean sure she doesn't give me the evil eye every two seconds anymore but she isn't exactly crazy about me either. There will always be that tension between us. And me telling her I was about to become her future daughter-in-law wasn't going to help any matters. I can only gulp at the possible freak-out scenarios that are running through my mind.

"Yeah, as long as I don't actually take you away from her. I mean, look what she did to me when she found out I dated you. What the hell is gonna happen when we tell her we're actually getting married?"

"She'll actually _rip_ your hair off this time instead of just pulling it?" she tells me as she bites her lip to keep from snickering.

"So not the time for jokes, right now."

"Look it's going to be okay. She's accepted me being a lesbian and us dating, she'll accept us getting married. Don't worry about it." She says as she takes my hand in hers and starts swinging it between our bodies. I'm still ridiculously pouting and not looking up, but the childlike gesture is slowly but surely breaking any resolve I might have.

"I still don't understand why we need to do this." I mutter under my breath.

"Oh, I don't know? Maybe, because they're my parents and they're entitled to know when their daughter is going to marry?"

"Couldn't we just send them a formal invitations like the rest?" It's what I'm planning to do with mine. I'll be happy if she actually acknowledges it and sent me a 'congratulations-for-now' message. Although knowing Spencer, she's going to drag me to my mom herself. God knows, her incessant nagging about the issue is the only reason why I even bother to visit her now and then.

"Ash." She warns me with a perfectly shaped raised eyebrow.

"E-mail?"

"Ashley." She says more aggravated this time.

"Fax?"

"Ash-leeeey! Stop being so absurd. Look if it makes you feel better, I'll make the announcement. You can just stand there and look pretty. That shouldn't be to hard now shouldn't it?"

She's giving me the sweet smile and head tilt all the while tracing the inside of my wrist. She knows I'm close to relenting and it's only a matter time before I agree if she keeps doing these small things. I guess you can say that she knows me better than whoever. I just hope I can say the same about her.

"Do I actually have to be in the room when you make the announcement?"

"Don't push your luck." She tells me sternly as she admonishingly points her finger at me. I'm quick to pull at it, before bringing it up and kiss the tip of it.

"Fine. But I'm putting off these heels as soon as we're in that house. If Paula's going to hunt me down than I wanna be able to run freely."

"Be my guest. Now let's get inside before mom thinks we've been making out all this time and separates us while dinner … _again_."

* * *

"Can you pass the potatoes, please?"

"Here you go sweetie." Mr. C says as he hands over the plate to Spencer.

We're half way through dinner and an announcement hasn't been made yet. The conversation is light and everyone seems to be relaxed and enjoying each others company. Everyone but me. I've been poking my food since the beginning of the meal and my leg, much to Spencer's aggravation, has not stopped bouncing.

"Ashley, you okay? You haven't touched dinner yet and you're usually the first to ask for a second portion." Mr. C chuckles good-naturally as he flashes me a kind smile.

It isn't him I'm worried about. Mr. C has been supportive of our relationship/friendship from the beginning and I really don't think that he'll have any objection to our announcement. It's the woman across of me I'm worried about. The same woman that threw me out of her home by the hair half-naked. I know that was an eternity ago and that she has come a long way since then, but it's the kind of experience that you do not just forget overnight. It's the kind of experience that resurfaces at times when you break to them you're going to be shacking with their daughter or in this case, marry her.

"I'm fine Mr. C. I just had a big lunch today, is all."

"Well, if you don't feel like eating it now I'll just pack it up for you so you can take it home." Paula tells me kindly.

It's not that she hates me or that I hate her, it's just that you'll always be wary of the woman that tried to rip the love of your life away from your hands. And she'll always be wary of the girl that tried to rip her only daughter away from her hands. It's ridiculous when I sum it up like that, certainly if you see the progress we've made across the years but it's a feeling that only I and her can get. It's something you can only understand when you actually live it.

"I would appreciate that Mrs. C. Thank you." I bashfully tell her. In the mean time I feel Spencer giving my knee a squeeze and I know it's not to ease the bounce in my leg this time. I turn my head to look at her and find her already smiling widely before she gets a serious expression on her face and slowly nods her head. She doesn't need to give me any further explanation as to what possible may come.

She nervously stands up as she gets ready to tell her parents that her little daughter no longer is that little anymore.

"So … uhm," she pauses a while to start fiddling with her fingers, unable to settle her nerves down I'm sure," I have a small announcement to make." She giggles nervously as she ducks her head. And I can't help but smile as I see her willing to do this on her own just so I would feel comfortable. I instantly feel like an ass for putting her alone on the spot and stand up myself. She looks at me surprised first, then relieved and eventually happy as I drape my arm around her waist and give her hip a little squeeze.

"Actually _we_ have an announcement to make." I speak up not taking my eyes off of Spencer's.

"A few days ago Ashley and I decided-" she starts timidly as looks up at her confused parents.

"To take the next step in our relationship." I continue as I watch closely for their reactions. At first they both seem out of the loop and completely clueless, but I swear I could see Mr. C sporting a playful smile after a few moments. Mrs. C just looks genuinely confused. That or she was in a terrible state of denial.

I feel Spencer thread her warm fingers with mine and I know that no matter what happens next, that this touch of her is all I need to go through with it.

"Ashley and I are getting married." She finally lets it out completely.

The next few moments go by in a blur as I immediately spot Mr. C walking our way and giving us warm hugs and congratulating us profoundly. I even think he let out a '_finally_' to Spencer along the way. I'm not to sure because my attention is somewhere else. More precisely on my future mother-in-law. I wouldn't say that shock paint her features as she keeps sitting there with her eyes on us, but more a mixture of realization and surprise. It takes her awhile before she shakes herself out of her passive state and saunters her way over to us. She congratulates us far more quietly and contained than Mr. C and even hugs us both even if my hug is more awkward than warm. It doesn't change the fact that she does seem to be happy for us. It just that she completely didn't see it coming, although Spencer suffered from the same thing so you can't really blame her for that. Besides, she's never been as mellowed and laid back when it came to our relationship as Mr. C so I couldn't exactly complain. And as Spencer finds her way back to me, cheekily kisses me on the cheek and raises her eyebrow in an 'I told you so'-manner, I know that the evening worked out well.

"Ashley can I talk to you for a moment." Paula says to me when Spencer backs away lightly.

"Uh … Sure." I whisper and try to contain myself from gulping audibly.

Maybe I spoke too soon.

* * *

She sits on the highest porch-step and I hesitate on where I should sit. I don't want to intrude any of her space, but I don't want to look scared by standing all the way by the door. The decision is made for me as she taps the spot next to hers. I take the friendly invitation for what it is but it doesn't stop me from wondering about the strenuous smile she just flashed me.

For minutes we just sit there quietly next to each other, both waiting for one of us to make the first step. I'm fiddling with my fingers in my lap, a habit I took over from Spencer over the years, and I can honestly say that I'm more nervous than the night I proposed. No matter how many times I say that I don't care about what Paula has to stay about whatever was going on between me and Spencer, I still wasn't insensible to her thoughts. She is and always will be my girlfriend's and now wife's mother.

"You know, when Spencer was still a kid she used to be unable to sleep until someone told her a story. And since we had counted her Cinderella and Snow White a million times already to her she wanted another fairytale with, and I'm not making this up, Spencerella in the lead."

I laugh quietly as I try to imagine a five year-old Spencer demanding to be the lead in her own chosen stories. I make a mental note to myself on making fun of her about the anecdote.

"So I started telling her this story about Spencerella with all the ingredients from an old-fashioned fairytale. Spencerella is the beautiful Princess in distress that everyone is jealous of and she was saved from the claws of evil by a handsome and noble dark haired Prince. He took her to his castle, got married, kissed her once and suddenly Spencerella popped 17 beautiful babies." She chuckles at the memory with a far away look in her eyes. It's clear just how much she misses the days back in Ohio were everything went, as I presume, smoothly in their cozy little home in the middle of their ranch.

"And than she just looked at me with this disgusted face, uttered the longest 'ewwww' I had ever heard and asked me if her best friend Jessica could be her Princess Charming instead because boys were icky and were filled with cooties." She giggles a little louder at the memory, but I quickly notice her wiping away a tear before it slides down her cheek.

"I never thought that she pretty much recounted her future back then for me." She sighs as a few quiet moments pass. What do you possible say to that?

"God, everything was so simple back then." She says as she lets some silent tears fall freely now, not even bothering to wipe them off. I don't really know what to say or how to react to her little flashback and idea's about it, because it was still pretty vague. But I could say that this had to be one of the first times were I genuinely understood her and any of her thoughts. We may never become best buds but we have one thing in common that we do not want to lose: Spencer. We buried the hatches a long time ago because of her and I'm sure that we'll try our best to leave our uneasiness and awkwardness around each other behind for the very same reason again.

"I had this deadline I absolutely had to make a few weeks ago. And I was so ridiculously swamped with work at the time so I barely had the time to sleep, you know." I tell her as I look into my lap, not daring to look into her teary eyes.

"Of course when you're in the music business you get used to it after awhile, but that deadline was so important and the stress was just killing me. It was just kicking my ass and I couldn't concentrate and get it right. So, the night before the actual deadline, I decided to stay up and drag my way through it in my studio it until it was done." I continue explaining. I had my own personal little studio right next to our place at the beach. It was literally a half-minute-walk and perfect since I couldn't stand being away too long from Spence for something as work.

"I don't have to tell you that it just wasn't working and anything that I was going to deliver at that time would be pretty crappy. And I think it had to be a little over three when I heard someone come in. I turned around and there she was."

"Spencerella?" She asks me with a hint of a smile.

"Spencerella." I nod with my own smile. " Bed-hair, sleepy eyes, PJ's and insistent yawn very much in place. She had a blanket with her and draped it over my shoulders, because she knows that I never wear anything warm at night and the heater in my studio was broken. Then she put a cup of fresh-made hot cocoa in front me, cause it's my secret midnight beverage and it helps me concentrate. She kissed me on top of my head and shuffled her way back out to the house without uttering one word." I say her bashfully, realizing that I've never really talked to her about anything remotely this personal between me and Spencer.

"I was completely revitalized, made the dead-line and it was some of the best work I had ever produced." I finally work up the nerve to look Paula in the face and find her listening closely to my own Spencer-related story.

"I bought the engagement-ring the next day." I croak out hoarsely. Something about seeing Spencer wake up in the middle of night to take the time to prepare something as simple as cocoa, grabbing a blanket and sleep-walk her way out of the house to the studio just for me made me realize how well she knew me and how much she truly loved me. I wanted that life and not just temporary. I wanted her to bring me hot cocoa and wrap me in a blanket in the middle of the night for the rest of my life without any hesitations or questions asked on either parts. It's funny that it's the simple gestures and details throughout days like any other that define the rest of your life. It took me a sleepwalking Spencer dragging a blanket in one hand and a cup of cocoa in the other to propose to her. And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"You know, there really isn't that much difference between a dark haired noble Prince and a dark haired noble Princess." She tells me evenly.

"I'll take good care of her Mrs. C."

"I know you will. You've been taking good care of her for the last six years, so I have no reason to doubt you. And I'm not, doubting you I mean, because I see it. I might've taken me awhile to acknowledge it and come to terms with it, but I see it. And I know that I don't have to worry about a thing because her smile is at its brightest when you're around or even when you're just mentioned. At the end of the day that's the only thing a parent can wish for. For her daughter to be loved, cherished for what she's worth and to be happy. You've taken care of all those aspects." She tells me with a genuine but still quite shy smile. Just like I never told her any personal stories between me and Spence, Paula never really told me in my face how she really felt about me after she finally accepted Spencer for who she was. I knew that she respected me and our relationship, but I never really had an idea just how she truly perceived me without the fear that she might hurt Spencer a long the way.

"You have no idea how much that means to me coming from you." I whisper as try to dissolve the lump in my throat.

"Well, you won't always hear me talk like that but …" she interrupts herself to inhale deeply before continuing, "I'm willing to be a little more vocal about it. You _are_ marrying my baby so I should officially welcome you to the family."

After years of dealing with a father that passed away before he could really fulfill his role of a parent, a mother that is still very much alive but seemingly does not want try and fulfill hers and a sister that came 17 years too late in my life, I finally feel like I truly am part of a family. And the tears that are slowly rolling down my cheeks cannot be stopped, because it's a realization that makes my heart ache and roar of joy at the same time. Ache because I missed my chance of being a part of a normal family for 22 years and roar of joy because I get to have a second chance at living that happiness. And it also makes me realize that my mother maybe does deserve more than one visit every month-and-a-half, that my sister really isn't as bad as I make her to be and that she's been the most consistent person in my life after Spencer and that the little time I spent with my father was worth more than what most children could experience with any of their parents. I think back at the time when he passed away and Paula was there to comfort me, even though I was her biggest fear at the time, she couldn't help but let her mother-instinct take over and just … be there for me.

"Thank you."

It's all I can really say at this instance without making a fool of myself and cry uncontrollably while desperately clinging to her. Silence envelops us for some time as we both try and wipe away our lonesome tears from our faces, erasing every trace of emotion that this heart-to-heart evoked within us.

"Well, I'd better head back inside. I'll send Spencer out." She says as she stands up.

"Okay. Bye _mom_." I say as I stress the last word with as much exaggeration as possible.

"Don't push it." She tells me sternly as she waggles her finger at me. It's the exact same action Spencer made earlier and it baffles me just how alike the two women really are. From their bluer than blue eyes, to their long blonde locks to practically the exact same posture.

I'm quick to flash her one last smile before she reaches out to slightly squeeze my shoulder. She heads back in and I don't have to wait long before I hear familiar footsteps behind me.

"Guess who." She breathes into my ear, after she places both of her hands on my eyes from behind.

"Veronica Mars?"

"No, but I _am_ witty and smart and hot and deliciously sarcastic at just the right time."

"Me?"

"Shut up," she laughs as she swats my arms," You are _so_ conceited." She continues as she sits herself on my lap.

"It's part of the charm."

"Oh yeah?" she asks me amused as she kisses me sweetly. "Uhu." I retort unable to contain my grin as I give her a short kiss of my own.

"Did the infamous Davies-charm work on my mom too?"

"Why? You afraid I'm calling the wedding off."

"Yeah, like that'll happen. I got you chained to me, baby-doll." She says with a glint in her eyes. God, this girl is going to be the end of me.

"Why not just chain me to our bed instead." I grin mischievously.

"One-track mind." She sighs amused as she looks up into the night sky, giving my a clear view of her exposed neck. Her smooth skin is taunting me and I can't help but lean in and gently sink my teeth into it before kissing the spot where the mark will surely appear later on.

"You know it."

" So I'm guessing by the neatness of your hair that things went well." She says as she twirls a loose lock of mine.

"They did." I nod after a few moments of silence.

"Really?" she asks me while biting her lip unsure.

"Really." I quickly answer her, unable to contain the smirks that appears on my face. "What about your dad?"

"Oh, you know him. He's probably already ordering our wedding gift online."

I laugh quietly as she slowly gets up from my lap and reaches out her hand to pull me off the ground.

"Come on, let's go home." She whispers as we walk towards the car hand in hand. She reaches for the handle of the car door but I turn her around right when she was about to get in.

"What's wrong?" She frowns as she sees me shuffling from foot to foot.

"Do you think that you, maybe, come with me to my mom tomorrow. You know, to tell her. If you got time of course. I mean I know you work and it's the start of-" I'm cut off by a pair of soft lips followed by some giggling.

"I'd love to."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, updating this thing again. I just wanted to say that I'm loving the reviews and that I'm happy you guys are liking the story. Have a nice read! And see you next time.**

* * *

"Ash, you know I love having you around but this is getting ridiculous." She tells me with a disappointed look.

"No it's not. You know what's ridiculous? Marrying freakin' Monica Gellar." I snap.

I've been spending a lot of time at Kyla's for the last week. I'm pretty sure I've been here more than the last 6 months combined. I've tried to throw myself in my work, but Spencer wouldn't take it and practically threatened me into taking off. And since I conveniently had the key's to Kyla's place, it wasn't difficult to know where I was hiding out most of the time.

"Oh please, I'm sure it's not that bad." She tells me, making a point of rolling her eyes dramatically.

"You're right. It's worse. She's been driving me crazy, Ky. Ever since she's been planning this wedding it's been 'buttercream-this' and 'ganache-that'. I swear if I have to taste another sample of wedding cake I'm going to throw up." I say with a nauseated face.

"I don't get why you just didn't hire a wedding planner. God knows you have the money for it." She says as she looks through her uninteresting mail. I already checked.

"I know! I've been suggesting that since the beginning but she thinks it's too impersonal and that she says she likes to have matters in her own hands." I sigh as I lean in deeper into comfortable couch.

"Hmm, I guess I understand that. I mean I would want to know what to expect for my own wedding too." She muses.

Meanwhile my phone start buzzing again and I just leave it on the table not bothering to pick it up.

"Ash." She says as she points to my phone.

"Yes?"

"Someone's calling you." She enlightens me, thinking I didn't notice it yet.

"I know."

"Well aren't you going to pick it up?" She asks me confused.

"No." I say expressionless.

"This does not bode well." She sighs while shaking her head in admonishingly manner.

"Kyla, you seriously do not know what it's like. It's like she's sweet and innocent Spencer one moment and then she turns into Bridezilla the next. I can't handle it anymore. I did not sign up for this." I explain her exasperated.

"Look it can't be-"

She's interrupted by a phone again, but this time it's hers and she picks it up before she even checks the caller ID.

"Yes? Oh, Spencer, what a pleasant surprise." She giggles nervously while eying me.

"Ashley? Uhm …"

I quickly stand up, alarmed, and mouth to tell her that I'm not here.

"She says that she's not here-"

Ugh, freaking idiot. It's official, I'm dead. I wonder if that would make a widow or not?

"I mean, she told me earlier that she wasn't here. Because, you know, I saw her outside. From my place. In the … uh … library! Yes! The library." She says stumbling over her words. She gives me a thumbs up telling me that she's doing just great.

The only thing I do is point my finger to my temple and pull the fake trigger of it.

"She shot herself?" She says softly as she gives me a confused look.

Oh God, what did I do to deserve this dense sister?

"Pass a message? Sure." She says before she puts her phone on speaker and holds it out in front of her. I sit back down and nervously wait for Spencer's angry voice to echo through the room.

"Will you tell your darling of a sister that without a wedding there will also be no honeymoon." She drawls in a fake sweet voice into the phone.

I immediately stand up from the couch and hurl out to get to the phone. Unfortunately, I forgot that there's still a coffee-table separating us and before I know it, I have already tripped over it and my face is met with the ground while my feet are still high up in the air. I guess this is what some people might call karma. I hurriedly try to get up on my own -considering Kyla finds it more amusing to laugh loudly instead of helping me out- and angrily snatch the phone from her.

"Hey, baby." I coo out of breath.

"_Oh don't even try to 'hey, baby' me. Where the hell have you been?"_ She asks me angrily.

"Uhm," I look up nervously at Kyla as she, too, pulls 'the trigger' at her temple and then proceeds to hold up her two thumbs up. Signing me to just keep up with the excuses and all will be fine.

"I was at the library shoo- Oh fuck it, I was hiding out okay?" I snap, figuring the excuse would get me in more trouble.

"_From what?"_ She asks genuinely confused.

"From you!" I tell her aggravated. I know I have no right to get mad with her right now, but it's bigger than myself and I can't seem to stop myself.

"_Oh that's great. Now you're blaming me?"_ She asks disbelievingly.

"You've been driving me crazy with your wedding plans." I reveal, seeing no point in denying anything anymore.

"_Well, excuse me if I want this day to be perfect."_ She hisses irritated.

"I was willing to hire a wedding planner. Hell, I would've hired fifteen if that's what it took."

"_That's your answer to everything now isn't it: let someone else deal with it."_

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask her.

"_It's supposed to mean that I want this day to be the best day of my entire life. And that I want everything to be perfect for it and I want to share that experience with you from the beginning of this. But how can it be perfect if you don't feel the same way about it as I do._" She sighs dejectedly, letting the anger and bitterness leave her voice. I'm feel like a complete ass, when I hear that hurt tone and wonder how I always end up making her sad somehow.

"Spence, you know I do. It's just-"

"It's just that you don't care enough." She barely chokes out, evidently close to tears.

And than the line goes dead.

Shit.

"What's up, big sis?" She asks me hesitantly.

"I think I messed up, little sis."

* * *

"Spencer?" I softly say as I peek into her room.

I drove down to her parents' house the moment she hung up on me. She had a tendency to come back here when we'd have an argument of sorts and something told me that she wasn't about to change that habit. Mr. C. had opened the door for me and gave me a wink and said she was up in her room. I was halfway there when he said that it was going to be okay. I honestly doubt that there's a more kinder and understanding person than him in the entire world.

I hesitantly enter the room when I don't hear any answer. I don't see her at first but as I listen closer, I hear a few muffles from her walk-in closet. I make my way towards it and surely there she sits huddled in the back of it.

"Spencer." I sigh as I quickly make my way towards her. She makes a few attempts to wipe of her tears with the sleeves of her top, but it's already too late. I sit myself across of her and start to wipe her tears off myself with the pads of my thumb. She doesn't look up and the only noise that is made is from the muffled sobs of Spencer. A few minutes pass before I finally manage to catch all of her tears and for her to stop crying. I put a finger underneath her chin and gently lift her face so that she'd look straight into mine.

"I'm sorry." We both say simultaneously. We smile briefly at each other before I continue.

"No, Spence,_ I'm _sorry. I was a totally inconsiderate ass that lied to you and left you to handle this whole wedding-thing on your own."

"Ash-"

"No, let me finish. I shouldn't have hid from you. You didn't deserve that. I'm just not really used to this whole shebang and everything just got to me and I needed some air to breath."

"Why didn't you just tell me that?" She asks me while here voice breaks.

"Because I'm an idiot. Because I thought you'd go all Paula on me and kick my ass." I joke and she laughs quietly and I know that the hardest part of the conversation is over. "But please don't think that I don't care or that I don't want this day to be as special as you. I proposed to you because I want to share my whole life with you. Because I want to experience every day and everything with you. Including this." I whisper into the quiet closet. Our eyes have not left from one and another and the intensity between them has increased to unknown levels. She takes my hand in hers and starts tracing the course of my lifelines.

"I know. It was a stupid thing to say. I slapped my forehead the moment that I said it."

"Spencer Carlin hitting herself. I would've paid to see that." I snicker.

"Yeah, well too bad. It's rare and thus not for sale." She laughs as she leans in to me. I'm expecting a kiss but she nuzzles her nose with mine instead. It's a terribly intimate move and oddly more satisfying that any passionate kiss. She continues tracing my jawline with the tip of her nose until she finally reaches my ear and breaths out small puffs of air on to it. My breathing is erratic and I can hear my heart thumping loudly in my chest.

"You have no idea how infatuated I am with you." She huskily whispers, before gently kissing my earlobe. She lingers for a moment and then backs away until she's facing me again. Her hooded eyes have turned a new shade of dark blue and I'm positive mine match her darkness. The tension-filled moment passes by as she suddenly starts chuckling.

"Seriously, the library?" She snorts in disbelief.

"Oh so the shooting myself part, you believed but the going to the library part you don't?" I ask her in mock hurt.

"Please, you could've said you were abducted by aliens and that would've been a more valuable excuse."

"Whatever," I laugh as I start picking at the carpet, " So, how's the wedding coming along? Is it already more imposing than Lady Di's wedding?" I joke, but I'm suddenly met with a very silent and uncomfortable Spencer.

"Spencer, what's wrong?" I ask her worried.

"About that …" She says wincing lightly, " I kinda discovered I'm not the best wedding planner out there." She says laughing nervously.

"It can't be _that _bad, Spence."

"They just called me to confirm the synagogue I apparently booked and that they're also offering a rabbi on top of it for half the price if I book him now." She says not taking her eyes away from the fiddling hands in her lap. I try to contain myself at first, but soon the snickers become chuckles, the chuckles become giggles and the giggles become uncontrolled laughing. It doesn't take long before she follows my suit and soon we're both a lying heap of barely breathing, laughing maniacs. It takes a few minutes before the snickers finally die down.

"Well, mazel tov to us then." I joke as I wipe away a still-there-tear in my eyes from our laughing tirade.

"This is not funny, Ash. What am I going to do?" She tells me suddenly alarmed.

"Drop the rabbi, I know a dude that can fix one for free." I say in mock-seriousness.

"Ash-leeey!" She whines as she swaths my hand.

I prop myself on one arm and hover over her lying body.

"Look, I'll handle this okay. Don't worry about a thing." I assure her.

"Are you sure? I can help you, you know. You don't have do this yourself."

"Look, you've been working on this non-stop alone and you deserve some rest. You look tired. Go sleep a bit and I'll be waiting for you when you wake up. Besides, I run my own label how hard can this be?"

"Do not underestimate this. Seriously." She warns me in a sweet manner. "But thanks for doing this. And I really am sorry for accusing you of not caring." She tells me sheepishly.

"Hey, hey no more apologies okay? Now, get some sleep." I say I quickly kiss her on the lips.

"I love you." She suddenly tells me seriously, "So much."

"I love you too, Spence."

* * *

"So, you think you can do that? Okay, awesome. I owe you big for this. Bye." I talk into the receiver.

"Uh-oh. You owing someone is never good." Spencer startles me as she snakes her arms around my waist. I turn my head around to meet her sleepy face and give her a quick kiss on the lips, hoping that she hadn't heard what I was talking about.

"Who was that?" She asks me as I turn around in her arms.

"Uhm … Pizza-guy." I answer her in absolute ditzy blonde moment. Guess Kyla isn't the only one with crappy excuses.

"You owe the pizza-guy big?" she asks me warily while raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, well your folks went out for the night so I thought I'd order in and have some quality-time with you."

"And you owe the pizza-guy because …"

"Well, I know how much you love pineapple on your pizza's and they were out of it, so I lured him into going to the 7/11 and buy some sliced pineapples and place them on the pizza."

"Lured him how exactly?"

"I told him my girlfriend would flash her boobs." I shrug casually.

"Ashley!"

"I kid, I kid." I chuckle lightly, " I promised him 50 dollars of tip, if brought on time and in perfect state of course."

"Ashley?" She asks me while looking confused.

"Yeah?"

"Are you trying to score tonight?"

"Psh, like I need pizza with pineapple-topping for that." I snort.

"Uh, yeah you do."

"Okay, maybe." I tell her pensively before we both crack up in giggles. " Why don't you head out to the living room and pick a movie. Your choice."

" You sure you want to trust me with the DVD's, Ash? You know you're going to hate whatever I choose." She tells me pointedly. Spencer is a girl after all and romantic comedies were her anti-drug.

"I know," I sigh dramatically, "But since I'm awesome like that, I'm still going to let you choose."

"You're still not getting laid." She grins at me as she starts walking backwards towards the living room.

"What does a girl have to do to get some lovin' down here?" I manage to yell as she disappears through the kitchen door.

The moment I'm sure she's out of earshot, I start speed-dialing on my phone.

"Hello Pizza-service? Yeah, I need one large pepperoni with extra pineapple-topping please. And make it look fresh. "

* * *

"Stop it." She tells me annoyed, eyes never leaving the screen.

I snatch another popcorn and throw it right against her temple this time.

"I said stop it!" She hisses still not bothering to take her eyes off the movie.

I snatch another popcorn _again_, and manage to throw right in between her cleavage and into her top. Now that get's her eyes off the screen.

"Okay, what's your problem!" She yells at me aggravated, trying to hide her amusement for it all.

"This stupid movie is my problem. It's boring and ridiculously ancient." I say in a bored tone.

"It's a '99 movie. That's hardly ancient Ash." She deadpans as she tries to fish the offending popcorn from down her shirt.

"It's from another century, Spence." I say dumbfounded, not understanding her incapability of understanding my point. "Besides, who wants to see Hugh Grant say "whoopsie daisy" in a god awful English accent. And you know Julia Roberts freaks me out. That woman's mouth is way too big and just not in proportion with her face." I explain her rationally as she desperately tries to find the popcorn down her cleavage.

"You loved her in Erin Brokovich, though." She counters not bothering to look up.

I gently push her until her back is fully on the couch, " I said I loved Erin Brokovich, because hello? Can you spell MILF? But not the person that actually plays her." I say as I turn of the TV before straddling her waist.

"Hmm, so you've got the hots for a fictional single mom … Should I be worried?" She muses.

"Not if you're planning on giving me some, tonight," I seductively husk while tugging at her shirt a little. " Want me to fish out that damn piece of popcorn for ya?"

"Oh wow, that has got to be one of the lamest excuses ever to get inside one's pants." She tells me amused, but doesn't make a move to swath my hands from inching up her bare stomach.

"Did it work?" I ask in a childlike manner.

"Nope."

"Speeence," I groan," You're killing me! Soon I'll be out of lame maneuvers to lure you into doing sexual stuff with me." I whine as I rest my head on her chest and ease my way into fully lying on top of her.

"You'll live." She laughs quietly as she places one hand on the exposed skin between my jeans and ridden up shirt and tangles the other in my hair. Rhythmically threading her fingers through my locks and lulling me into a state of complete and utter comfort. We both let ourselves soak into the silence and calmth that this moment with it brings. The only sounds I hear are the breaths that are puffed right above me and the soothing thump of her beating heart beneath me.

"Spence?" I ask, breaking the long-lasting silence.

"Hmm."

"If I wouldn't have proposed, would've you proposed to me? You know, eventually." I whisper as I snuggle a little deeper into her.

I can tell that the question catches her off-guard as she momentarily stops threading her fingers through my locks. But just as soon as she stopped, she starts the soothing movement again.

"I don't know." She says pensively. " Yes, maybe, … I really don't know."

I don't really know how to take her statement and her hesitance on the subject. But before I can even muse about it any further, she's already continuing her explanation.

"I mean I've thought about it. God, knows I've thought about it." She whispers knowingly, "But I guess I was never really sure, you know. I mean, I was _sure_ about me, but just not about you …"

"What do you mean by that?" I ask in a non-aggravated way but a truly confused one. I know better than to make immediate accusations without hearing the complete story behind it. You learn a lot when you're together with the same person for six years.

"It's just … I know you never really were into the whole wedding-thing and that you took all of that with a grain of salt. I didn't want to push you into something you didn't want and then end up losing you because of it. I'm content in any way I get you and if you didn't want to get married that I would've respected that. As long as I get to be with you." She tells me sincerely and I feel her giving me a soft kiss on top of my head. I place a small kiss of my own on her pulse point, before I start talking again.

"It's true." I divulge, "I never really was into the whole marrying-thing and vowels and whatnot. Which you can't really blame me for if you have my parents as role models." I explain before I lift my head from her chest and look into her eyes.

"I also didn't believe in relationships or any kind of true love." I say honestly, "And look at me now," I continue, my voice thick with emotion. "Being in a long term relationship, lovesick, completely whipped …" I smile as I say this and she returns the gesture, " … and proposing."

She continues watching me silently before a little twinkle in her eye appears and a small grin start forming on her face.

"God, you _really _wanna get laid don't you?" She jokes and the laughing comes naturally.

"The whole me not wanting to commit, that was before you Spence." I tell her earnestly as she starts rubbing her hands up and down my back. " And I admit I have been tempted to just walk away and take the easy path even when we were together but then I see the smile on your face and it tells me that you need me …" I smile goofily knowing that she'll catch the phrase.

"Oh yeah? That's because there's a look in your eyes saying that you'll never leave me." She responds without missing a beat. Just like I expected her to do so. I've seen the movie so many times, it's only logical that I know the lyrics to the soundtrack by heart by now. That and I might've sang it to her once in a complete corny moment of mine.

--

_I had gotten up quietly out of bed for a quick drink downstairs. I always was incredibly thirsty through the night and Spencer never forgot to put an ice cold bottle of water on my night table, but I had already drank it down it three gulps. When I step back in the room, I couldn't help but admire her as she lays there sprawled all over the bed and a pillow tightly clutched in her arms. Surprisingly Spencer is the sleepyhead between the two of us. __She could sleep through a storm without a flinch but my absence normally wakes her up instantly. That's why I always have to be extra carefully when I get up at night. Because I definitely am the insomniac in the relationship. I smile to myself as I see her reaching out for me in her sleep and frown when she doesn't find my there. It won't take long before she realizes that I'm really not there and not just in her dream. I head to a corner of our room and grab the black acoustic guitar that's endlessly decorated with the most variable stickers. My dad gave it to me when I was fourteen and it instantly became my favorite present of his right along with the jacket he gave me the night he met Spence._

_I head back to the bed, sit cross-legged next to Spencer and put the guitar in my lap. I gently reach over to trace the crease on her forehead, trying to make the little frown disappear. I deeply inhale one last time before I start strumming my guitar and let the room fill with the tunes of one of Spencer's favorite songs. Her taste in music wasn't always exactly the same as mine but I've already gotten over that fact quite easily. Hell, I took her to freaking Kelly Clarkson for one of her birthdays but her smile was more than enough reason to commit musical suicide once and awhile._

"_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart," I softly start singing into the night. Spencer hasn't shown any real signs of waking up yet and I just continue. "Without saying a word you can light up the dark." She starts stirring a little bit and unconsciously reaches out for me again. She touches my bare knee and is content with leaving it there for awhile._

"_Try as I may I can never explain," She's finally realizing that something is up and slowly is gaining a form consciousness. Her hands leaves my knee and reaches to her own face as she starts rubbing her closed eyes. "What I hear when you don't say a thing …" I pause for a moment but don't stop strumming the guitar as I fondly look at her opening her eyes and drowsily looking at me with a confused face._

"_Ashley?" She asks me cutely as she takes me in with her hooded eyes. Watching her process everything in her head and see her face contort from confusion to realization and eventually blissfulness is endearingly sweet and charming. I lightly keep strumming my guitar as I watch her attentively and wait for my cue to continue singing. She turns around a bit, props her head on her hand and flashes me a bright smile. And just then I cut back in …_

"_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me," I sing softly and without losing contact with her eyes. She smiles even brighter as she takes my little hint. "There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me," She mouths me a 'never' in such an exaggerated matter that I cannot help but laugh out loud in the middle of the song, "The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall," She reaches out her hand again and now starts tracing inexistent motives with her finger right beneath my knee. I shudder at the contact and it's clear that she feels it too. "You say it best …" I sing, suddenly stopping my strumming altogether and hold her gaze with mine. There's no goofing around anymore and both our expressions have become serious. She bites down her lip and looks at me through her hooded eyes as I hesitantly start playing again, " … When you say nothing at all." The guitar is already taken out my hands and carefully placed next to the bed before I can even process it. I find myself fully laid on the bed with her straddling me even quicker. But the languid kiss and whispered love-confessions that followed I would never forget. _

_--_

And forget I did not. That night is still one of my most cherished on fondest memory with her. But even though, everything about that night felt so magical and out of this world I hope that it'll be trumped many more times in the many years to come.

" I won't." I confess her earnestly.

"Ashley?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna get laid tonight." She tells me this with the most serious and lustful face, that I don't know whether I should laugh or cry or just do both.

She pulls me into her and our hungry lips barely touch each other, before my cell loudly starts buzzing on the table next to us.

"Leave it …" She whispers hotly in between heated kisses and I momentarily give in. Too absorbed with her sweet cherry lips meeting mine and her soft hands exploring my back. But I quickly realize who that might be and reluctantly untangle myself from her. She whines in frustration as she tries to pull me down again.

"I can't, baby. I have to take this." I sigh dejectedly as I see her pouting at me. She knows I usually don't let business-calls get in between our personal time, certainly not while this sort of personal time so I can understand her surprise and sadness. I slowly stand up and lean back down to kiss her on the forehead. " I'll be back in a sec, I swear." She nods gloomily never losing the pout and I smile at her petulant attitude.

I take the still buzzing cell in my hand -I told them not to hang up until I answered- and head to the kitchen for some privacy. "Hey, so did everything work out? Really? Okay, that's great! Seriously, thanks for doing this … Okay, bye." I whisper into the phone, trying to withhold any squeals and avoid questions from Spencer. I head out of the kitchen and saunter my back to the couch where Spencer's patiently waiting for me.

"Hey, it's really nice and warm tonight. Do you wanna head out for awhile?" I ask her bashfully.

"Now?" She asks me confused and I simply nod at her, "To do what exactly?"

"I wanna waste time chasing cars with you." I answer her sweetly. She ducks her head a little as a faint blush creeps up on her cheeks. She then stands up and strolls towards me, taking my hand in hers. She swings our clasped hands between us and I get a flashback to the night we told her parents about the engagement.

"Time with you is never wasted." She tells me with a bright smile, before she leads me towards the door.


	4. Chapter 4

"You know, you could've just told me that you wanted to come back home. I mean, I know you're still too traumatized to do anything remotely sexual with the prospect of mom walking in on us." She chuckles as she follows me into our house.

"Shut up, that is not why I wanted to come back here." I retort.

"Than why did you?" She pouts as she starts tugging me closer by the belt loops of my jeans,"We were having plenty of fun before that stupid call of yours."

"And we will continue having plenty of fun right _here_." I whisper huskily, "Tell you what; you go to the bedroom to get yourself ready for the night of your dreams and I'll grab something quick from the kitchen."

"The night of my dreams, huh? You really do think of yourself very highly, don't you Miss Davies?" She teases before she leans closer and places a lingering kiss on my pulse point.

"Hmm, I won't be the only who thinks highly of me after tonight. Trust me." I add with a wink. "Now, get yourself ready woman!"

"Well, somebody is eager." She tells me as she slowly backs away from me, letting her hands leave mine only at the very last moment.

"Can you blame me?" I tell her with a grin.

"Hurry up." She whispers seductively before she slowly starts strutting her away up on the stairs.

I have to say that I'm only human and a boldly seductive Spencer is very arousing to say the least. But this is something that I cannot ruin now by my excessive hormones. So I patiently wait at the end of the staircase banister like a good girl for Spencers' cue so I can head up. Right now she's probably by the start of the hallway, she flickers the light switch on, walks slowly towards our room with a silly smile on her face, stops midway there to look at some goofy pictures of ours as teenagers that are decorating the wall, walks away from the pictures and enters our bedroom, flickers the switch on and heads to our bed and then-

"Ashley?!"

Yes, my cue indeed.

"Yes, dahlin'?" I drawl out in a exaggerated southern accent. I don't even bother to head upstairs, since the distinctive sound of pounding feet tell me that she's already on her way back. She's on top of the staircase before I know it and I eagerly await her reaction.

"Why is my wedding dress sprawled on our bed when it's still supposed to be cut and altered." She asks me fuming. "Did you do this? Because you know we barely have time before the wedding and Jean-Claude told me that it would only be ready the day before the wedding. Now, it's not going to get ready and everybody will see how it does not fit and they'll start talking about how fat I am and-"

"Spencer-"

"And you _know_ how my relatives back in Ohio are just dying to slam me down-"

"Spencer!" I shout in attempt to finally end her monologue.

"What?" She asks me irritated.

"It's already done." I clarify to her.

"What? That's impossible. Jean-Claude said that he was overloaded with work and that it would only get ready in three weeks." She tells me with absolute conviction.

"Well, you'd be amazed how fast Jean-Claude works when he sees a couple of more figures on his paycheck." I chuckle as I see her sheepishly looking over at me when realization finally dawns on her.

"Oh. I didn't know that." She mutters self-consciously.

"No shit?" I tell her amused, "Come're." I say sweetly, trying to make her feel a little better. She slowly trudges down the steps, clearly admonishing herself in her head already. She eventually stops on the last step, right across me, and nervously starts scratching the back of her neck.

"Spencer-" I try to say before she cuts me short .

"I know, I'm totally OCD over this! It's just, It's our wedding you know." She explains me in aggravated voice. Aggravated at her own behavior, instead of mine this time around.

"Spencer, I don't mind really." I smile as I brush my thumb over her pouting lip. "I just called him when you were sleeping and I had him work on it a little faster –with the needed care of course- and I asked Kyla to pick it up and bring it here."

"That's sweet. I know you told me that you wanted to organize the wedding yourself, but it's still far off. You really shouldn't have done that." She sighed as she put her hands on my hips.

"Uh, yeah I should've." I deadpan.

"And why's that?" She asks me with the hint of a smile.

"Because, I'm not about to marry you in those jeans and that shirt." I tell her in a fake disgust. Truth is, I think Spencer looks best in casual attire. Especially if it fits her form so well.

"What the hell are you talking about now, Davies?" She asks me warily.

"We're getting married." I simply say not able to withhold my grin any longer.

"Uh, yeah I thought that fact was established already. You know I squealed and jumped in your arms and whatnot. Are you losing your memory already?" She coos while petting the top of my head.

"I mean now, doofus. We're marrying tonight!" I shriek and slightly jump up and done.

"That's not funny." She frowns.

"It's not meant to be funny, I'm serious."

"You're kidding me right?"

"Baby no. I'm serious, we're getting married tonight. I set it all up while you were sleeping." I explain, not liking her sudden quiet demeanor.

"You mean, I've been trying to organize a wedding for the last two weeks and I got a half-priced rabbi and a Chuck E. Cheese –cake and you set up a whole wedding in two hours?" She asks me in shock and complete disbelief.

"Four hours actually, you're quite the napper I must say. Tell me who's my Wittle Sweep Champion?" I in turn fuss too as I ruffle her hair a bit.

"That's not the point! How could you plan a wedding just like that without telling me?! I mean, who's going to be there? Where-"

"Spencer." I say collected in attempt to try and stop her rant again. This seems to be happening a whole lot lately."

"I still have to lose two pounds! Look at me I'm a mess! I still have make-out hair for Heavens' sake. How am I-"

"Spencer!"

"What?!" She yells as she fixes her gaze on me.

"Will you relax just a moment?" I ask her quietly.

"You're asking me to relax? I'm about to attend a wedding I just find out about and I'm the freakin' bride." She continues yelling with now frantic hand movements for extra dramatic effect.

"Look, stop it! Stop stressing out. That's exactly why I've been hiding out these last few days, you've been a non-stop stress-maniac who can't seem to calm herself down for one second." I tell her with a slightly raised voice, knowing that if I don't than I'll lose any chance of explaining it to her.

"Bu-"

"No, let me finish. We don't need fancy wedding venues or buttercream wedding cakes or half-priced rabbis. We just need us, okay? I didn't propose to you so we could have the wedding everybody will keep talking about. I proposed because I am so ridiculously in love with you and I want to share the rest of my life with you. I just wanted to have a little ceremony amongst us because we are all that matters." I tell her earnestly.

"But my parents-"

"Organized half of the wedding and are already waiting on us."

"And Kyla-"

"Organized the other half. She's here too. And so is Glen and Chelsea and mom and whoever that needs to be here." I tell her as I brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

"And where-"

"At the beach. Right here. Everything's ready, Spence." I assure her.

"This is really happening tonight, isn't it?" She asks me bashfully, ducking her head in the process.

"Only if you want it too." I say as I urge her to look at me, with the touch of a hand." I don't want to see your pouty face on every picture later on." I joke.

"Hey, you love my pouty face." She huffs before pouting again for emphasis.

"I do."

"Practicing for the ceremony already, aren't we?" She smiles cheekily.

"Oh, you think you've got me all figured out, huh?" I jokingly taunt her as I reach for her sides. "Got it figured out now?" I say as I relentlessly start tickling them.

"No, aaaah! Ashley, stop it! I'm serious!" She breathes out in between the hysterical laughing.

"What? More you say?" I say as I begin intensifying my attack. She desperately tries to swat my prying fingers away, but she only ends up squirming herself down the stairs and she's soon followed by me. I settle myself more comfortably on top of her and slowly let the giggles die down. Our breath is still ragged as we intently start looking at each other. She then brings her hand up and lovingly cups my cheek. I take this chance to shift my face a bit and softly kiss the palm of her hand.

"Why now?" She asks me softly. "I mean, you could've waited at least a few days."

"I don't know." I tell her earnestly. "I guess, I didn't really wanted to wait any longer. Besides, I want to marry you upon the sand and underneath the stars. Or star, considering we're in L.A." I smile.

"You're perfect, you know that?" She barely whispers, not once daring to pry her eyes away from mine. " I've been acting like a complete madwoman and driving you crazy and you're just you being all … perfect."

"I've just tickled you to death, woman! Now I don't know under what category that qualifies, but I'm pretty sure it's not perfect." I joke lightly.

"What's up with you calling me "_woman_" today? You never call me that." She laughs as she shifts her hand from my cheek to the back of my neck. She lightly starts playing with the little hairs there and I instantly feel goose bumps rising on my bare arms.

"I don't know. Comes with the marital status I guess." I shrug indifferently.

"Oh does it know?" She smiles mischievously.

"Yes, it does." I grin right back while closing the distance between us.

"Well, I guess then I'll-"

"Oh for the love of God, get a room!" A very familiar voice screeches from behind us. I roll my eyes, quickly kiss Spencer on the lips and heave a heavy sigh as I stand up.

"Whatever, Madison. This is my house and if I wanna grope my girl on the stairs, than I grope her on the stairs." I say irritated before giving Chelsea a welcoming wink, who seems to be very amused by it all.

"Exactly, just don't do it when you invite people over." She snarls in her ever-annoying-voice.

"Slut."

"Whore."

"Wannabe Dancequeen."

"Wannabe Rockstar."

"Aaaah, I missed this." I sigh contently as I reach for the hand of a confused Spencer to help her on her feet.

"Girl, me too. You'd think there would be enough spiteful bitches backstage, but none of their venom sting as much as yours." She tells me sincerely.

"Aww, thank you Maddy." I coo as I place my hand on my heart in pride. "There's no spiteful bitch quite like you either."

"Ok, do you guys need or room or something." Chelsea suddenly pipes up as she warily looks back and forth between us.

"Yeah, you are marrying _me_ right?" Spencer asks me suspiciously.

"Unfortunately," I sigh, "Apparently, I can't back out after proposing and organizing a wedding and whatnot. And to think that I just proposed to you so I could get inside your pants."

"Shut up." She laughs quietly as starts tugging my by my belt loops again. Did I mention that I find that extremely sexy? "You proposed to me because I'm so damn amazing." She says as she continues tugging me towards her, until I'm fully pressed to her body.

"Oh, did I know?" I grin as I engage myself into another one of our playful games.

"Yes, you did." She tells me huskily as she lowers her head and starts nipping the base of my neck.

"Uh, guys?" Chelsea nervously interrupts our little interaction. It's remarkable how quickly I forget the presence of any other people when this girl steals all of my attention so effortlessly. I feel Spencer smile as she buries her face in the crook of my neck, seemingly annoyed at yet another interruption tonight.

"Where's Madison?" I ask after finally managing to take my eyes off of Spencer and focus on Chelsea instead.

"She left towards the kitchen at the mention of you getting inside Spencer pants." She chuckles as she shakes her head a bit. Spencer then finally decides to face Chelsea when she turns around in my arms.

"Not to sound cruel or anything but, what the hell are you guys doing here?" Spencer deadpans.

"Is that the way you talk to your bridesmaids?" Madison's manages to say in between chewing as she walks into the living room, "You should know better, Spencer." She says as she points to her with a chicken leg.

"Where did you get that?" I ask her unnecessarily.

"Refrigerator." She shrugs.

"Well, make yourself at home then." I tell her in a voice that oozes sarcasm.

"Hell yeah I am. I'm going to try and stop your girlfriend from becoming the Runaway Bride – which I would completely understand – so expect to miss large portions of food from your kitchen." She warns me dead-seriously

I'm about to answer her a witty and slightly offending remark myself before Chelsea cuts me short again.

"People, there's no time for making out or petty High School battles-"

"Hey, our battles were never petty!" Madison yells before taking another bite of her chicken leg.

"You tell her, Barbie." I encourage her and she lifts her chicken leg in acknowledgement.

"There's still a wedding that needs to happen. So, Madison throw away that greasy piece of chicken and get your ass down here. Ashley, get your ogling eyes away from Spencers' ass and go get ready in the studio. Kyla's waiting for you there." Chelsea orders in robotic fashion.

Spencer turns around smirking, catching me still checking out her backside. I expect an admonishing remark but I'm met with sultry gaze instead.

"Spencer, not helping!" Chelsea suddenly screams.

"Alright, alright I'm gone. Sheesh, who died and made you queen of the day." I sighs exaggerated as I make my way towards the door. But not before stopping one last time by Spencer.

"Don't miss me too much." I whisper in her ear.

"I won't." She tells me apathetically.

"Oh, you won't huh?" I ask as a goofy smile lights up my face again.

"No, I won't." She smiles sweetly.

"I swear to God, Ashley. If you don't get out right now, I'll kick you out myself." Chelsea sternly warns as she steps closer. I speedily head towards the door before stopping myself midway, risk my life by going back and swiftly kiss Spencer's cheek. I'm out the door by the time Chelsea lets out her intimidating grumble.

* * *

I used my studio for a lot of things, but I never thought it would ever serve as my personal dressing room for my own wedding. Make up – products, clothes, endless hair products and stuff of which I don't even know their purpose of; all of them are scattered across the whole room … and I love it. I never thought I'd ever be the type that would get giddy just moments before her wedding. Hell, I never thought I would even be the wedding-type. But that's just the thing with Spencer. Always bringing out facets out of me, I never knew that even existed. There used to be a time when I was a completely different me – in a good kind of way - when in her presence. Now, I'm simply different at all times. Sure, I can still be an ass and I'll always be an obnoxious egomaniac, but there's a difference in it all and I'm not scared of it anymore. This is who I want to be and she's the one who I want to share with it all. My inner musings are interrupted by the sound of an opening door.

"It's about damn time you came. What took you so long?"

"Well I would've come earlier if you had let this brother know about your little plans."

I immediately turn my desk chair around at the familiar voice and jump out of it as soon as I see his face.

"Oh my God, Sean!" I squeal, before quickly leaping into his arms.

"That's my name." He chuckles as he hugs my tightly.

"I can't believe you made it!" I breathe out disbelievingly, still holding tightly to his frame.

"Well, no thanks to you. You're just lucky I was already on my way down here to check out some projects. And here I thought I was special." He tells me after we finally part.

"I'm sorry but I just decided earlier today and Spencer only found out an hour ago." I explain.

"Yeah, there always has to be something mysterious and special around it all if it's an Ashley Davies' production."

"You know it." I grin as I softly punch him square in the shoulders.

"Hey, don't be working out your nerves on me, woman." He admonishes while he rubs his shoulder in mock hurt.

So, that's where the _woman's_ are coming from.

"Psh, Ashley Davies does not know the term nerves." I scoff at him and square my shoulders a bit in attempt to look collected and cool.

He just keeps staring at me with a knowing face and crosses his arms until I finally relent.

"Okay, maybe I'm just a little bit nervous. But it's the good kind of nervous." I quietly admit. "God, I still can't believe you're here. I really thought, I had to walk down the aisle alone."

"You can't have a wedding without your Best Man now, can't you?" He says as he pops his collar a bit. "Certainly not, when they're looking this fine." He continues, putting a hand beneath his chin and starts posing in front of an imaginary camera.

"Whatever, sometimes I think you're more conceited than I am." I joke lightly.

Sean and I became closer throughout the years. I had known him in High School of course, but we never really went further than being acquaintances. That all changed once he started helping out Spence a bit during college with her work. Spencer was an eager photography student that wanted to get the experience she needed outside of school and Sean had some pretty nice connections with some local underground magazines. I always felt that he wanted to be there for Spencer at all times and make sure she was okay. Partly because he thought that he might fill up the void of Clay a bit, but mostly because he was just that kind of guy. And while he tried to look out for her we started bonding, because I was looking the do the same thing. We started hanging out whenever he was in town and he was a consistent guest at our place for some notorious poker-nights. But most of all we connected on a lot of levels and had endless discussions about classic movies and undergrounds artists. Discussions that I couldn't have with anybody else, not even Spencer considering her very girl-next-door taste. And before I knew it, Sean became my best friend.

"Now you know that's a flagrant lie." He says with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's a lie," I tell him with a smile. "I'm really glad you're here." I say sincerely.

"I'm glad I'm here too. She's good for you and you're …" He pauses a moment as he points a finger to me, " … completely whipped from what I heard." He laughs.

"Shut up!" I yell, while swatting his arm. "I'm barely whipped, just very loyal and obedient and romantic at most."

"Oh, that's all?" He scoffs.

"That's all." I grin in response.

"Well, I'm just glad you two are getting hitched. God knows that if you didn't the universe would've exploded or something." He sighs exasperated.

"Oh is that a new movie script of yours?" I ask in a fake innocent tone.

"Very f-" His words are interrupted by the booming entrance of Kyla.

"Oh my God Ashley, you will not believe how Spencer- oh Sean hi!" She suddenly lets out embarrassed. "I didn't know you were here."

"Well aren't I the mystic persona today. Nobody seems to be expecting me." He grins and gives her a wink.

Kyla suddenly starts some girly giggling, before snorting half-way through it and muttering a self-conscious sorry.

"Well, I'm going to leave you two very lovely ladies alone. Ashley, you just holla at me when you need me." He tells me before leaning in for one last hug.

"Kyla, I guess I'll see you out front." He smiles slyly before seeing himself out.

I shift myself towards my goofily grinning sister, who's still looking at the door Sean just exited.

"You _so_ love him." I deadpan.

"What? No! I do not!" She sputters as she starts blushing even more.

"Oh please, you look like you wanna have his babies or something." I tell her, rolling my eyes at her attempt to hide her crush.

"You're being ridiculous. What makes you think I even like him that way."

"Oh wait, lemme see." I say pensively, "Stupid giggling? Check. Cheeks redder than a tomato? Check. Snorting? Which, seriously is not sexy. Check. Goofy grin? Check. Yeah, I think I have a right to think so. And don't even make me check your disgusting sweaty palms." I say as I put my hands on my hips.

"That doesn't even mean a thing. I mean, when … you… there's –"

"Incoherent rambling? Check." I continue relentlessly.

"Okay, okay! I might like him just a teensy weensy." She says while holding out her fingers, showing me just how little she really likes him. Yeah, right.

"_Kyla and Sean sitting in a tree_-" I start singing tauntingly.

"Aaaah! Shut up! Shut up!" She squeals while covering her ears with her hands.

"_Making l-u-r-v-e_." I continue, now singing on top of my lungs.

"You're the suckiest sister ever. And it doesn't even matter that I like him anyway."

"And why's that?"

"Cause you're the one that's whipped." She quickly says before squealing her way away from me, afraid of getting a last minute sisterly beat-up.

"For the last time, I am not whipped!"

* * *

**Congrats to **_**SuperGirl06**_** for seeing through Ashley's plans. You were the only one to figure it out both here and on the Spashley-board ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. Here I am lightly dolled up in my white dress waiting on the one girl that has completed my life for the last six years. I, Ashley Davies, am going to marry my soul mate and I can't help but feel an infinite giddiness coursing through my body. The thought that this is it and that there's no way back isn't freaking me out or giving me the infamous cold feet. It's simply making me excited and nervous and scared all at the same time. But not because I'm thinking that I making a mistake. Not because I think that I've been romanticizing this idea of marriage too much. I don't even think that's possible if you grew up in the same household as I did. But because I might not be the right person for this sort of commitment. Because I'm afraid that I'll hurt Spencer along the way and that she'll not get to marry the person she deserves.

"Everything will be okay. Stop worrying." Sean assures me quietly from where he stands. I'm about to defy him when I realize there isn't any use and just flash him a gracious smile. I look around for a bit in attempt to stop worrying and I can't help but admire the job that was done so quickly. Everything is so simplified but it didn't take anything away from its uniqueness. In fact its simplicity illuminated it even more and the cold sand beneath my feet, the light sea breeze and faint glow of the full moon and occasional star made it my mind the most beautiful place on earth at this very moment. I catch my mother and Mrs. C. halfway through my gazing, animatedly talking to each other and a sly smile immediately graces my face. It's an image I'm not used to as they probably never said more than 5 words to each other before this, but tonight is all about changes and this is just one of the many. My mom turns her head slightly, feeling that someone is staring at her, and gives me a little affirming nod as if to say that all is and will be alright. She'll always be a little more stoic and stern than the average mother, but she showed me that she was truly happy about me marrying Spencer. Going as far to say that even though she might've neglected to show me, she never stopped loving me and that she thought Spencer was the best thing that ever happened to me. For once I agree with her wholeheartedly.

I'm brought out of my eye lock when I hear the soothing melody of Chloe's guitar. She's a talented girl I signed a few months ago, after she sneaked past my guards and bargained in my office and demanded to be heard. She had spunk, one hell of a voice and was simply a lyrical genius altogether. She became my prodigy ever since.

I instantly look to the back, awaiting Spencer's arrival with the rest of the anxious guests. The first person I'm met is a tuxedo wearing Mr. C. who's sporting the proudest smile I ever saw. The second person I see, baffles me completely and simply leaves me breathless. How many times do you hear and read about this exact moment? Where your palms are sweating and your breath is hitching. Where in that moment nothing in the world exists but the two of you. Where nobody can interfere in that moment you have together, where nobody can understand the unspoken words you whisper to the other. Where you're that clumsy and giddy teenager who is having their first crush all over again. It's sounds so cliché and ridiculously exaggerated, a moment that only exists in medieval novels and feel-good movies. Yet, all of those descriptions do not give justice to this moment, to this gorgeous girl who chose to do this, to commit to me out of all people. I take in her plain white, but still perfectly unique dress. Her golden locks put up in a casual yet so beautifully sophisticated manner, only held and adorned with a white orchid. An angelic face that's almost completely free of any make-up, because a face like hers does not deserve to be smudged in anything artificial. A small smile that is never-fading and is meant solely for me. Her eyes, of which the color I can never differ for sure because they're ever-changing, that never leave mine.

In this moment we do not see Paula's proud tears, we do not hear Chloe's smooth voice, we do not feel the eyes that are watching us. In this moment we only see our shy smiles, we only hear our beating hearts and we only feel our warm breaths. Everything seems to last eternally, yet our minds do not register how we got to be across of each other so fast. We do not know when our hands found their counterparts and we do not know how my lips found her forehead. I faintly hear words about eternal love and loyalty said by the reverend but I could never tell you what was exactly said, because all I need to hear are Spencer's unspoken words. We are still completely lost in each others eyes when I feel a forceful nudge on my shoulder that even Spencer's presence can't completely filter out. I slightly turn around seeing Kyla gesturing towards the rings and I quickly catch her drift.

"Spencer," I croak out, making her smile broadly in the process, " first of all, you look beautiful. I just needed to tell you that because you really do and it would a crime not to." I continue, hearing a few small chuckles in the background. "I don't really know what to say because I think I already told you so many times and no matter how I try to tell you how much you mean to me and what you make me feel, nothing compares to the real thing. There was a time where I felt like nothing good could ever happen to me again, because everywhere I turned up something bad would happen. I thought I'd never get the chance to be truly happy and have the luck to fall in love, because I doubted it even existed. But then you came around and knocked my coffee all over my shoes and I was sold." I tell her in a voice coated with both seriousness and amusement. "Six years ago I went to sleep and I had the most beautiful dream. That dream has yet to end and I hope that I don't ever have to wake up again." I continue sincerely, noticing the welling up of her eyes. I unclasp one of my hands to reach for the ring on the small plush cushion. I take her hand in mine and slowly start sliding the band onto her finger. "With this ring I give myself to you completely, I promise to never stop loving or cherishing you, I promise to be there for you whenever you need me and I promise to sing you silly love songs for the rest of my life." She lets out a unsteady laugh as she tries to strain herself from crying. I, in turn bring her hand to my mouth and kiss it gently before lowering it to my heart. "With this ring, I promise to treasure you in my heart forever." I finally finish my spontaneous little vow. A lone tear rolls down her cheek and I gently catch it with the pad of my thumb. Unable to see any tears fall from her eyes, no matter what the reason.

"Oh get on with it already! Some people are starving down here." Glen bellows from his seat, clearly unaffected by what's happening in front of him. He seems to be the only one as I spot a teary Madison punching him in the arm and swearing at him in her fiery Spanish. We briefly laugh ourselves, because this just made things even more real and genuine than it already was.

"Ashley," She starts shakily, lowering her hand from my heart but simply continues holding mine, "When I came here to L.A. I didn't know what to expect. I was wondering if all the stories and clichés about this city were true or just right out lies. Then I met you and you seemed the personification of everything I had heard back in Ohio. You were this rich, obnoxious, spoiled and bratty teenage girl." She tells me and I raise an eyebrow silently asking her where this was going. "Yet I couldn't seem to stay away from you. There was something about you that drew me to you, something so terribly addictive. And along the way, I learned that stories and clichés are just that. Because beneath that though girl exterior you had, I discovered the sweetest, the most considerate and the most caring person I had ever met. And it's that same girl, that girl that helped me discover myself and make me feel proud of who I was, that I so desperately and hopelessly fell in love with it." She whispers sincerely as she lightly squeezes my hands. Making me wonder if anyone else heard the words she uttered. "And it's that same girl that I want to share the rest of my life with, without looking back. The dream you're finding yourself in, is our dream. We've been sharing it since the start and I want to continue sharing it with you until the end." She tells me sweetly. Her eyes seem to have dried up a little, and I'm the one who's close to tearing up now. "With this ring I give myself to you completely, I promise to never stop loving or cherishing you, I promise to be there for you whenever you need me and I promise to share my brownies with you for the rest of my life." It's my turn to laugh through my unshed tears, when she takes the ring and slowly slide it onto my finger. "With this ring, I promise to treasure you in my heart forever." She tells me softly looking right into my eyes and we both can't strain the goofy smiles on our faces.

"Spencer, do you take Ashley to be your lawful wedded wife?" The reverend asks beside us.

"I do." She says without missing a beat.

"And Ashley, do you take Spencer to be your lawful wedded wife?"

"Hell yeah." I grin at the girl across of me, hearing some faint chuckles in the background.

"And with these vows taken and these rings exchanged, I pronounce you wife and  
wife. You may kiss the bride."

We smile sweetly to the other before I lean in and kiss her softly on the lips. We linger briefly before we part, never losing our secretive smiles. Looking at each other as if we just shared a secret, a moment that only belonged to us and no one else. We glance at the people who're now all standing up, cheering and clapping for us. I look back to her and see that she's already looking at me. Lightly nodding and winking at me, wordlessly telling me what to do. We both quietly start counting to three before we let out a synchronized and high-pitched "Mazel tov!". The giggling automatically ensues and it only increases when we see all the confused looks around us.

Nobody truly understands us, but we understand each other perfectly. And that's all that really matters.

--

"Have I already told you how absolutely gorgeous you look tonight?" I tell her still completely in awe of how naturally beautiful she looks. I grip her hips just a little tighter and bring her even more closely to me. She tilts her head a bit to the side and flashes me one of her dazzling smiles, slowing down her moves a bit until we're barely dancing.

"You might've mentioned it a few hundred times." She answers teasingly, softly massaging the back of my neck with her hands. The so-called after-party was organized in our very own courtyard and the patio has been serving as our dance floor for the last few hours. All of the guests had already left, surely tired after the days' consuming events and considering the time of the night. But that tiredness seemed inexistent for Spencer and me as we haven't stopped dancing since we got on the patio. Only leaving each other's arms to dance with Mr. C. and Sean separately. Enjoying the change of pace and partners, but secretly hoping to rapidly find the safeness and love off the other.

"I can't believe we're actually married." I whisper to her, still not grasping the fact that we had really done it. That Spencer Carlin, the girl of my dreams, accepted to throw herself in this adventure with me. That she agreed to extend this dream we've been living in for the last six years.

"Why, you're tired of me already?" She asks me cheekily, now halting her movements completely. I follow her suit and we both remain standing in the middle of the barely lit patio. With her arms loosely draped around my neck and my hands gently placed on her hips.

"Never." I tell her sincerely, pressing my forehead to hers in the process. I gaze deeply in to her now dark blue eyes and both our smiles are never ending.

"Thank you." She whispers to me. "Thank you for the most beautiful wedding any girl could ever wish for." She continues, slowly brushing the tip of her nose along mine. I draw her closer to me until her body is completely pressed to mine, and she happily obliges.

"I didn't really do much. Just made some phone calls here and there." I say quietly, shrugging my shoulders a bit. "Hey, I didn't even manage to do that. Making phone calls is quite tricky I must say." She jokes good-naturally.

"Hey there now." I playfully admonish. "You did your best. That's all that matters. You'd make an excellent Jewish wedding planner for toddlers." I quietly joke, quickly retreating a bit to dodge any possible swatting hands. She hands me stern glare instead, but it rapidly transforms into a knowing smile. She leans in closer and sweetly kisses the tip of my chin. "Shut up and look pretty." She murmurs shifting her head until her lips briefly meet mine in a sweet and loving kiss.

"Ooh demanding. I like." I smirk, leaning right back in to lightly tug at her bottom lip. "Hmm, you ain't seen nothing yet, darling." She mumbles initiating kiss after kiss, every one of them a little more forceful and demanding than the previous one. " Don't make promises you can't hold, Carlin." I groan, burying my hands in her now semi-down hair. She abruptly leans back and successfully ends all contacts. I barely have the time to pathetically pout, before she tugs me right back into her arms. "It's Davies now." She husks, while grinning devilishly. There's only a certain amount of teasing and proverbial foreplay one can take. Hearing her husk those words on such flirty tone with that grin that will surely become the end of me one of these days. Seeing her standing there with that playful glint in her eyes and her orchid-adorned hair sexily mussed. Standing there with that lustful look in her eyes in that virginal white dress that hugs her form so perfectly. I slowly sink my teeth into my lower lip as I check her out from head-to-toe. It's all just a little bit too much. Even for me.

I slowly cross the small distance between us and I manage to pick her up in one swift move. She lets out a small shriek of surprise, not having anticipated the sudden move. But it doesn't take long before she adjusts herself and once again drapes her arms around my neck. " I thought I was too heavy for you and you weren't strong enough." She tells me playfully, looking me sweetly into the eyes. I lean in to briefly brush my lips against hers, not being able to resist any of her temptation any more.

"I guess beautiful girls give me extra strength." I tell her light-heartedly, as I carry her over the patio and into our living room.

"Do they now?" She drawls out huskily.

"Oh yes, they do." I murmur, as I dip down my head one last time. We kiss languidly, taking our time to discover every inch of each other's mouth. But once again she parts too soon and leaves me kissing the cold air instead. A pout automatically forms on my face again and I can't help but whine at her teasing antics. I satisfy myself by leaving a trail of kisses on her jaw line. She seems to be giving in for a moment, as I hear letting a few muffled moans.

"Ashley?" She asks me breathless. But I'm too caught up with her earlobe to give her any answer. She's got me so mesmerized that I don't even feel the weight that I'm currently carrying. Not that Spencer really is heavy, but I do like to tease her about it once and awhile. Pouty and mad Spencer is cuter than all the Carebears combined.

"Ash?" She asks a little more insistent this time as she shifts my face towards her.

"Yeah?" I let out breathlessly. She looks up at me with those dark blue eyes and gently bites her lip.

"You're about to get laid."

--

_Two weeks later_

"Just admit it that we're lost."

"Why should I admit something like that."

"Because we've been running in circles for the last hour." She snorts lightly, clearly amused by my inability to rotate myself.

"What if I've been running in circles intentionally?" I say as I face her, while I slow down my pace. "What if I just want to trudge down these small streets hand-in-hand with my wife? I'm sorry that I wanted to have a romantic ending to our romantic night-out." I scoff, lowering down my gaze to emphasize my disappointment. If I get away with this, than I'm giving up music altogether and step right into the world of acting. I hear a faint chuckle in the background and I know that I failed miserably. This girl knows me too well. I shyly look up at her and try to contain myself from grinning.

"You're telling me you had this all planned?" She asks me incredulously.

"Of course I had this planned." I say with a sly grin. "You know me with all my romantic escapades."

She looks at me skeptically and raises one perfectly shaped eyebrow. I flash her a sweet smile and trace the ground with the tip of my shoe in mock-bashfulness. It's times like these that make me grateful for my inherited charm. Although Spencer saw right through it most of the time, she too fell for it occasionally. And as I see her closing the distance between us with that mischievous smile on her face, this might be one of those times.

"So what else have you planned Miss Casanova?" She asks me while she hooks her fingers in the hem of my jeans. I take a few seconds to get over her flirtatious side and rack my brain for a possible plan. I should've known that she wouldn't just let it slide. It only takes me a few moments before I can think of something. I reach for one of her hands and clasp it with mine. I lightly tug at it and urge her to follow me. She gives me a confused look before she shakes her head and gives in. I grab her other hand too and gently drag her off the pavement and towards the middle of the deserted street. The nightfall, the ancient lampposts, the forsaken avenue and the distant sounds of the city life; it's the best décor I could possible wish for.

"Are you trying to get us killed simultaneously?" She asks me amused. "Gosh, Ashley I knew you had it in you! Fading away together; the epitome of romanticism." She gushes lightheartedly. I quietly laugh at her ridiculousness, before I twirl her around in my arms until her back is pressed to my front.

"Shut up and dance with me." I whisper gruffly into her ear. She shifts her head to face me and looks up genuinely puzzled.  
"Dance? Now? Here?" She asks me, while I gently start swaying her in my arms.

"Yeah." I whisper picking up the pace of our movements a bit. She doesn't say another thing as she lets me cradle her rhythmically into my embrace. I turn her around in a swift move after a few moments and notice the lazy and content smile that adorns her face. I take one of her hands in mine and place the other on her hip. And slowly, gently we start moving to sounds of my soft humming under the pale light of these Parisian streetlamps. She lets out the occasional yelp of surprise as I swing her here and there, showing off my classical dancing moves. But mostly we dance closely, without a care in the world. In this moment, it's just her and me and no one else.

"Noah's got nothing on me." I say in jest, before I nuzzle her cheek. She chuckles quietly and then locks her hands behind my neck.

"I thought you hated that movie." She teases good-naturally, not once stopping our dawdling and spontaneous dance.

"Rachel McAdams is-"

"Hot. Yeah, yeah I got the message the first hundred times." She finishes off my comment, rolling her eyes in the process. "Me thinks, you secretly love the movie and the whole notion of it. Just admit that you're a romantic and sentimental junkie at heart, Ashley." She sighs into the night air, drawing me closer to her.

"I am, aren't I?" I ask playfully as I leisurely lean into her. Her eyes are transfixed on mine and her smile seems to be growing with the second.

"Oh yes you are." She whispers, closing the distance between us. And just like that we kiss each other languidly in the middle of a forgotten Parisian street. Somehow emphasizing that nothing is impossible when it comes to our relationship. On the contrary everything we wish for and hope for is within our reach. Because together we're indestructible, stronger than anything and anyone else. Together we're at our happiest and in the end that's al you need in life. We part after a few, seemingly, endless moments and press our foreheads to the other. Basking in yet another special and perfect moment of ours. They seem never-ending lately.

"You know what else I love?" I ask rhetorically. "You." I continue, unable to suppress my smile.

"Oh yeah?" She retorts hoarsely. Her voice and content features tell me that she feels the exacts same way as I do. That she doesn't ever want to end this journey we're on. That she wants to spend the rest of her life perfectly content by my side.

"Yeah." I answer her needlessly.

"Well I guess it's a good thing that I love you too then." She lightly jokes, before she softly brushes her lips with mine.

"I guess it is." I whisper, leaning right back in to sweetly kiss the tip of her nose. I step back a bit and tug at her hand, silently asking her to follow me down the street. She obliges and we contently start walking side-by-side and hand-in-hand, just like it was meant to be.

"Come on, let's see if we can catch a cab this time of the night." I say as I swing our linked hands between us.

"I thought you weren't lost?" She asks me humorously.

"I'm not, just a bit tired." I explain, shrugging my shoulders a bit.

"Tired, huh? Hmm, that's too bad." She tells me, as she picks up her pace a bit.

"Wait, wait what do you mean?" I ask, halting our movements.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" She asks me confused.

"Why is it too bad?" I question her warily. She rolls her eyes as she starts walking again and pulls me along with her.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know. You don't just say 'too bad'." I reply not wanting to let this slide.

"Oh my God, I just said 'too bad'. Stop analyzing it so much." She says exasperated, lightly laughing in the process.

"You didn't just say 'too bad' like that, you said it like on a sultry tone. On a 'too bad you're too tired to get some tonight'." I tell her following her through the night and I strain myself to laugh at my own explanation.

"You're an idiot." She sniggers as she lets loose of my hand and starts walking away from, but still faced to me.

"An idiot you're about to sleep with?" I shout out pathetically one last time.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna search for that cab now." She retorts, turning away from me.

"Hey, at least wait up!" I yell but she amusingly shakes her head and simply continues walking away. "I'm telling your mom you left me behind!" I shout one final time, unable to leave out the snicker out of my voice.

I lightly start jogging until I reach her. I immediately take her hand in mine before she rewards me with a dazzling smile and I don't hesitate to flash her one of my own. And as we peacefully start trudging down these abandoned and foreign streets, I can't help but smile at the future that we still have ahead of us.


	6. Chapter 6

"Spencer, what did I tell you about doing any shores?" I admonish as I walk up to her from behind. Snaking my arms around her waist until they're resting on her stomach. I prop my chin on her shoulder and gently kiss her cheek. Revealing my not-so-angered state.

"It's no problem, okay? It's just dishes." She assures me, drying her hands along the way.

"I said I would do them. Besides, we have a dishwasher for something." I tell her pointedly, hugging her form closer to me as I feel her warm hands covering mine.

"Ash, what did I tell you about not giving me any space to do things? I can take care of myself." She says slightly annoyed as she turns around. Leaning against the counter and pouting madly at me. She knows how much it affects me. Even after eight years. But I'm very firm when it comes to this issue.

"But _I_ want to take care of you." I explain softly, placing my hands over her stomach once again. "Both of you." I whisper genuinely, before I lean in and kiss the tip of her nose.

She tries to hold her pout a little while longer, but to no avail. It quickly dissipates and makes place for a bashful smile. Now _that_, I truly cannot defend myself against. It still has the power to melt me mercilessly.

"I know." She sighs as she draws my body closer to hers. "But you need to trust me on this. I'm barely 8 weeks in and I know when and when not to stop, okay?" She assures me as she covers my hands with hers once more. She flashes me a halfhearted smile, before excessively pouting again. And this time, I can't brace myself for it.

"Okay." I sigh in mock annoyance. Not really liking the idea of her straining herself any more than she should. But I've learned to trust her blindly these last few years. We both have. And this is just one more aspect I should have faith in.

"See, that wasn't too hard." She teases as she shifts her hands until they're wrapped around my neck. She leans in until her lips brush mine, locking them in a loving kiss.

"Hmmm." I hum dreamily as she parts her lips from my lingering ones. Her idle and massaging fingers taunt me to lean right back in, kissing her lightly for a second time.

"How 'bout you let me take care of you upstairs." I husk as I press my body gently against hers. Shifting my hands from her stomach to her hips.

"How 'bout …" She begins, biting her lip seductively as she brings her mouth to my ear. Making my heart race as I feel her breathe heavily against it. "You sashay your sexy little ass all the way there …" She says while pointing her thumb to the left. " … grab an apron and finish these dishes with me." She finishes off in a muttered chuckle. Gently shoving me backwards, while flashing me an evil grin.

"Come on, hurry up. You wouldn't want me to tire myself out, now wouldn't you?" She teases me, biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing out loud.

I barely manage to get over my astonishment, before a forced smile covers my face.

"You're evil." I accuse, pointing a condescending finger towards her. She shrugs halfheartedly in return, before cocking her head to the left. Gesturing to me to grab the apron already. I shake my head disbelievingly, before mindlessly following her orders. Some things never change. And it comforts me like nothing else.

--

"I wonder when she's going to start kicking." I whisper, hesitantly breaking the silence we were finding ourselves in.

I hear her chuckling lightly, feeling the tremors of her moving stomach against my cheek. The sensation feels quite wonderful combined with the hand that's leisurely combing through my curls.

"I think we're still a few months away from that, Ash." She tells me amused. A smile appears on my face as I start thinking of all the emotional rollercoaster's that are still awaiting us. I've been looking forward to them since the day Spencer had announced that she was finally pregnant. I actually had to strain myself numerous times to not immediately start design the baby's room.

"And why do you keep saying 'she'? It could easily be a 'he'." She says matter-of-factly. I gently turn around in my position, careful not to hurt her in any way, until I'm facing her. Her head lightly propped upon a few pillows and mine propped upon her stomach.

"I don't know, I just got a feeling it's going to be a girl." I muse, shrugging lightly.

"A feeling?" She asks me, knitting her eyebrows in amusement.

"You know …" I drawl lightheartedly. "A hunch, an intuition, an instinct." I say, continuously poking her side with every word I utter.

"Okay, okay I get it!" She manages to say in between giggles. Frantically swatting my prying hands, until she catches one between hers. Instantly lacing them and I don't think twice before I bring them to my lips. Soundly kissing the back of her hand, before tucking it beneath my chin.

"But seriously, Spence …" I begin, my eyes never losing their focus on hers. "Boy or girl, it doesn't matter. As long as they got your genes, I know they're going to be the most precious thing on earth. Well, next to you of course." I candidly add as an afterthought. I feel her thumb lightly tracing the skin beneath my chin, when an idle smile appears on her face. To this day, it still amazes me how much simple gestures like that still affect me. How strongly they affect me and how it somehow surges a new feeling in me every single time. And how it makes me feel as if nothing else in the world matters besides her and that divine smile of hers.

"You're always going to be a sweet talker, aren't you?" She quips, while gently tangling her unoccupied hand in my hair again.

"It's a gift. I can't help it." I retort in faux innocence. She starts to chuckle lightly, before she suddenly winces. Retreating her hand from my hair and shifting it towards her head. I'm up in an instant and by her side.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask softly. I gently grab her hand and slowly shift it from her head. Naively hoping to make it better by leaning in and gently kissing her forehead.

"It's just a little headache." She reassures me with a smile. But the small gesture only makes her wince more. She's been having these headaches more and more lately. And it really pains me to see her in any kind of hurt.

"You sure?" I ask gently as I soothingly start threading my fingers through her hair.

She nods affirmatively, before closing her eyes. The soothing gesture clearly having the effect I was reaching. I briefly contemplate asking her to call it a night, but I stop myself thinking about her earlier words. The last thing I want is to aggravate her by fussing too much again. It's clear that she's been extremely sensitive about the issue.

"Hey, you wanna head out for a little walk?" I ask and her eyes immediately flutter back open in surprise. Her eyebrows knit in confusion at my offer. "It's gorgeous outside tonight. I would hate to go out by myself, when I could go with you." I continue, shrugging in fake indifference.

She gazes at me for a while, before smiling at me knowingly. And as she leans to me, plants a lingering kiss on my lips and whispers a thank you against them, I know I said just the right thing.

--

"You remember when we had our little talk here way back then?" I ask as I glance towards her. Quietly marveling her moonlit face.

"Of course I do." She says while eyeing her bare feet. Her slippers had already been discarded, opting to bury her feet in the cold sand instead. "How could I forget you wanting to redeem yourself after being a complete ass to me." She answers cheekily, before poking me in the side goodheartedly.

"Whatever. My charming ways always trump my assy ones. Besides I was just trying to make you jealous … and with success." I tease, before bumping her shoulder with mine.

"Says the girl who's been giving our neighbors' kid the evil eye for a week now." She retorts playfully. Bumping my shoulder right back along the way.

"He does not need to hug you _that_ long and _that_ tightly." I answer hotly. That kid has been taking advantage of Spencer's kindness and natural urge to cuddle anyone that's remotely sweet to her. No matter how fake it is.

"Ashley, he's six." She deadpans.

"Whatever. Like that makes him any less guilty." I mutter under my breath. Shifting my eyes to the deck above us in false aggravation. I wasn't really mad. Just annoyed at my predictability and my ridiculous jealous outbursts when it came to Spencer. That and I wanted Spencer to comfort me. Mainly the latter reason.

"Aw, it's okay." She coos before tangling one hand in mine and using the other to shift my gaze back to hers. "I still love you despite your psychotic jealous streaks. It's cute." She assures me, before leaning in and kissing me lightly on the lips. "Occasionally." She finishes with a grin, once she's shifted her face from mine.

"You're lucky you're pregnant or I would totally be kicking your ass right now."

"Ooh, I'm petrified." She says in a bored tone.

I glare at her, before I lift my hands and start wriggling my fingers. Silently threatening her with a new tickle-attack. Her eyes widen as she quickly straightens up.

"I mean, how noble of you." She says tightlipped. Her eyes never losing their focus on my hands. Spencer may have me wrapped around her little finger, I still had some leverage with mines too occasionally. It was incomparable, but still.

Our eyes briefly meet and we instantly share a smile.

"Truce?" We ask simultaneously. Lightly cracking up at our in sync thoughts. Without a moments hesitance, I snake my arm around her waist. Hugging her chilled form closer to me.

"Truce." She mumbles quietly, as she gently nuzzles the crook of neck with her nose. Soundlessly kissing the skin there before sighing contentedly into the air.

We remain huddled closely to the other. Soundlessly enjoying the peacefulness of our surroundings. The serenity and calmness we somehow always seem to create no matter where we are. Only needing to be in the proximity of the other to completely isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. We didn't need any deserted beaches at late hours to create these instants. That doesn't mean I wasn't grateful for the setting.

"Sometimes I wonder how things would have been if I hadn't met you." I hush quietly into the night. Hesitantly breaking the silence we were founding ourselves in. "Or if things didn't work out like they did. If you wouldn't have given me, given _us_ a second chance." I continue softly, my eyes staring in front me but my arm tightening the grip on her. "It scares me. Because I see how I am now with you. How good you make me feel. How happy you make me. And I can't imagine ever being able to live a life different from this one. I can't imagine living a life without you." I manage to say barely above a whisper. I shift the hand around her waist until it softly presses her bare stomach. Smiling lazily as I feel the barely noticeable bump beneath my fingers. Still not quit believing that our child is slowly but surely growing up in there.

"I don't know what I did to deserve this. To deserve you. I don't know if I deserve it at all in the first place. But I'm grateful for it." I sigh quietly. Sensing my voice becoming more labored with each truthful word I utter. "Every singly day, I'm grateful." I finish breathlessly.

I let the silence envelope us briefly, while I caringly stroke her stomach. But I chance a nervous glance at her when she doesn't even move an inch. Afraid that I might've made her feel uncomfortable with my words.

Instead, I'm met with a peacefully asleep Spencer. Her face buried deep in the crook of my neck and her hand loosely clutching the fabric of sweater. For the second time in only a few moments I smile contently to myself. I protectively draw her tighter to me. Partly to shield her from the cold, partly to seek her warmth for myself.

I rest my head on hers and shut my eyes. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to stay just a little while longer. The next mumbled words I hear, I'll always wonder about. I'll wonder whether they were created in my own tired mind or not.

"You deserve so much more."


End file.
